Process for the manufacture of complex gold compounds of albumose-like keratin degradation products containing sulphhydryl groups



UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OI COMPLEX GOLD COMPOUNDS OF ALBU- MOSE-LIKE KERATIN DEGRADATION PRODUCTS CONTAINING SULPHHYDBYL GROUPS Adoli' Feldt, Berlin-Charlottenbnrg, and Karl Schiillkopt, Berlin-Dahlem, Germany, assignors to Scherlng Aktiengesellschait, a corporation oi Germany No Drawing. Application June 10, 1937, Serial No. 147,492. In Germany June 12, 1936 9 Claims. (Cl. 260-113) This invention relates to the manufacture of sulphide-like bond obtained by acid hydrolysis complex water-soluble gold compounds 01' albuinto the corresponding compounds containing mose-like keratin degradation products containsulphhydryl groups it is possible to proceed in ing sulphhydryl groups. e such a manner that the reduction is carried out 5 The manufacture of gold compounds of keratin either simultaneously with the acid hydrolysis "5 degradation products has already been carried by means of metals such as zinc, tin or iron or by out by various processes. Thus, for example, they subsequently reducing the acid-hydrolysate, for are obtained according to the processes of Gerexample, with zinc dust, preferably in the cold, man patent specification Nos. 551,871 and 550,705 in order to avoid further degradation. As pa'r by subjecting keratin substances with simultaneticularly ad tageous ha proved the reduction 10 ous or subsequent reduction to acid hydrolysis of the disulphide-like keratin degradation produntil the keratin substance hasjust passed into ucts with sulphurous acid or the neutral or acid solution, whereupon after concentration, for exalkali metal or alkaline earth metal salts of this ample, by evaporation of the acid hydrolysate in acid, such as So Sulphlte, d u p e, 16 vacuum, gold salts are allowed to react in the a nesiu bi ulp ite. a ciu u p t a d he" customary manner upon the solution of keratin like. degradation products obtained. Compared with the above mentioned reduction According to the rocess-or German'patent o ke at de r dation p oducts wit hyd o e 4 specification No. 578,828 gold compounds of kera- P od c f m met s d ac ds. t app cat n tin degradation products containing sulphhydryl 0i Sulphurous acid or its salts oflers a series oigo groups are obtained by du ing th id hytechnical advantages. Thus the cumbersome drolysate of the keratin ubsta with in separation of the metals employed for the reducthen separating the water-insoluble zinc keratin $1011 with aid of y e su ph e nd a o compound produced, converting this int gthe removal of the latter from the reduced hy-' 35 uct termed a sulphhydryl keratinic acid and fi y are entirely bv e 355 finally introducing gold into the latter in the The excess of d employed for the hyd oylsis customary manner. Howev x im ts h of the keratins is then neutralized withbasic shown that according to this process only small Substances Such ammonia the xi yportions of the keratin degradation produ t can droxldes -or carbonates of the alkali or alkaline o be caused to react to give the corresponding gold earth metals or of magnesium, either completel compouid. by way of the water-insoluble i or to the point of acid reaction to litmus without compound, since the majority of the kerati acid reaction to Congo red. In the case of the gradation products is lost in the form or waterreduction by means of metals the metals which soluble zinc compounds. thereby pass into solution are completely removed According to the present invention it is possible by means of hy en sulp nd then he iatfrom the total hydrolysate of keratin substances ter driven of! by means or an indifferent gas obtained by acid treatment and reduction to pro Such 8.8 nitrogen. carbon dioxide 1 hydr en for v duce complex water soluble gold compound of the purpose of avoiding the oxidation of the high therapeutic activity with a gold content ph l K D- of over 10% without having to carry out the 011 h Weakly 801d 1 neutral y ly ate thus 40 cumbersome isolation of the above mentioned obtained, i ut previous c c ra ion. or xzinc compounds and the very labile sulphhydryl ample, by evaporation in vacuum, for the purkeratinic acid which considerably reduces th pose of the introduction of the gold in complex yield. This process for the direct separation or bi ed orm i t th e in de ada on prodthe highly active gold compounds of albumose- 11 Suitable 8 1 compounds Such as aurous m- 5 like keratin degradation products containing pounds, ior example, aurous hydroxide, aurous sulphhydrylgroups with a gold content of over. io de o au o com oun s. for example, auric 10% can be carried out as follows: a chloride, gold chloride. (hydrochloride), potase The acid hydrolysis of the keratin substances, 'sium auribromide and the like are caused tore- 0 such as wool, hair and hornjs carried out only act. with the application of auric compounds'oo to such an extent that these starting materials it may also be of advantage to work in the pres- ,have just passed into solution and form illterable ence of sulphurous acid or its salts. In an ascolloidal aqueous solutions of the albumose-like tonishing manner ithas been found that by this keratin degradation products. In order to con means not only so much gold can be introduced 5 vert the keratin degradation products with dias is Just for." combination with the suiphhydryl groups present, which can easily be ascertained by means of the known spot method with sodium nitroprusside, but that in addition considerably more gold is combined in a complex manner by the keratindegradation product.

After the interaction of the weak acid or neutral hydrolysate with the gold compounds, if desired the weak acid solutions obtained are rendered Just weakly alkaline with suitable inorganic basic substances which are capable of form-- ing therapeutically valuable salts, such as the oxides, hydroxides and carbonates of the alkali metals, of calcium and of magnesium. The weak alkaline solution now present, which contains the alkali or magnesium or calcium salts of the complex gold sulphhydryl keratinic acids, is for the purpose of a separation of the latter in solid form suitably stirred into several times of the vol- 1 ume of an inorganic water miscible solvent such as ethyl or methyl ,alcohol or acetone and the like, whereby the corresponding salt of the complex gold sulphhydryl keratin acid separates. After a few hours the organic solvent is separated and the precipitated. gold compound further purlfled if desired by dissolving several times in water and again precipitating with the organic solvent and finally dried.

The complex gold compounds of the albumoselike keratin degradation products containing suiphhydryl groups'obtained constitute weak yellow to white solid substances which are easily soluble in water, contain the gold completely combined in complex form, are rich in sulphur and exhibit a gold content of up to about 40%.

It was quite astonishing that compared with the known processes, which as in the case of German Patent No. 551,871 treat the keratin deg radation product in the form of an evaporated syrup or as in the case of German Patent No. 578,828 as isolated free sulphhydrylkeratinic acid with the gold salts, in the present process by the reaction of the weakly acid or neutral complete hydroylsate with the gold compounds highly activechemotherapeutic products are obtained.

The following examples serve to illustrate the invention 'without, however, limiting the same to them:

Example 1 600 grams of human hair are hydrolysed with 2400 ccs. of a 20% hydrochloric acid in a water bath at 95 C. during one hour. Then to the hydrolysate 60 grams of tin foil are added and the reaction mixture is heated for afurther half hour with frequent shaking to 95 C. Thereupon it is cooled to 20 C. and the excess of hydrochloric acid neutralized with cooling with so much ammonia (d=0.910) that the reaction mixture no longer reacts acid to Congo red but still acid to litmus. The hydrolysate is-then filtered frominsoluble portions and from the filtrate by means of hydrogen sulphite the tin separated as tin sulphide. After the removal of the hydrogen sulphide by means of hydrogen thehydrolysate is immediately suitable for the introduction of the gold. v

For this purpose to the hydrolysate so much of a 20% aqueous solution of gold chloride (hydrochloride) (with a gold content of about 50%) is gradually added witKstirring that the sodium nitroprusside reaction just fails to take place.

-.For-example, for this purpose 36.5 grams of the gold chloride (hydrochloride) are necessary.

The hydrolysate treated-in this manner with the gold compound is thereupon rendered weakly alkaline with caustic soda lye (pH 7.1-7.2) and the liquid filtered. The filtrate is introduced into 6 times the volume of alcohol whereby the sodium salt of the gold suiphhydryl keratinic acid first separates in oily form. After some standing the 7 alcohol is separated from the sodium salt,'the-latter dissolved in 900 cos. of water and this solution after repeated filtration stirred into 8 times the volume of alcohol. The sodium salt of the gold suiphhydryl keratinic acid which now precipitates in fiocculent solid form is separated from the alcohol, repeatedly treated with alcohol and 'then with ether and finally dried in vacuum at about 60 C. 76 grams of sodium gold suiphhydryl keratinate are obtained as a light yellowish-grey, easily water-soluble powder with a gold content of 20.8%.

Example 2 content of 40.8% in which the gold is still all combined in a complex manner.

Example 3.

The process is carried out as in Example 1 but' the acid hydrolysate treated with the gold compound, instead of with caustic soda lye, is

brought with magnesium carbonate to a pH of 7,1. The further working up takes place in an analogous manner to that described in Example 1.

92 grams of magnesium gold suiphhydryl keratinate are obtained as a weak yellowish-grey easily water-soluble powder with a gold content of 17.8%.

Instead of the neutralization as described in Example 1 of the excess hydrochloric acid employed for the hydrolysis with ammonia, this can also take place in the present case with magnesium oxide or hydroxide.

' Example 4 The acid hydrolysate treated with the gold compound obtained according. to Example 1 is brought with calcium hydroxide ta-a pH of 7.1 and further worked up inan analogous manner to that. described in Example 1. 134 grams are obtained of calcium gold sulphhydryl keratinate as a white easily water soluble. powder-with a gold content of 12.4%..

Example 600 grams of human hair are hydrolyzed with 2400 cos. of a hydrochloric acid by heating in aboiling water bath for 70 minutes. Then the hydrolysate is cooled to 20 C. and neutralized with ammonia (d= 0.910). After the filtration of the insoluble portions to the filtrate 500 cos of 5.5% aqueous sulphurous acid are added and, after 2 days reaction, to the reduced hydrolysate with stirring so much of a 20% aqueous solution of gold chloride hydrochloride'is gradually added drop by drop that the sodium nitroprusside reaction is still only weakly positive. drolysate thus caused to react with the gold com-' pound is thereupon rendered weakly alkaline with caustic soda lye (pH 7.1-7.2) and the liquid filtered. The filtrate is stirred into Gtimes the volume of alcohol, whereby the sodium salt of the gold suiphhydryl keratinic acid first separates in oily form. After some standi the The acid hyalcohol is separated irom the sodium salt, the latter dissolved in 1500 ccs. or water to which sufficient caustic soda lye for a weakalkaline reaction is added and the solution after repeated filtration stirred into 8 times the volume of alcohol. The sodium salt of the gold sulphhydryl keratinic-acld which now precipitates in flocculent solid form is separated from the alcohol, repeatedly treated with alcohol and then with ether and finally dried in vacuum at about 60 C. 126 grams are obtained oi sodium gold sulphhydryl keratinate as a light-yellowish-grey easily water,

soluble powder with a gold content of 20.8%.

Example 6 i The process is carried out as in Example but the acid hydrolysate treated with the gold compound,- instead of with caustic soda lye, is brought with magnesium carbonate to a, pH of 7.1. The further working up takes place in ananalogous manner to that described in Example 5. 159 grams or magnesium gold sulphhydryl keratinate are obtained as a light yellowish-grey powder easily soluble in water with a gold content-oi 15.7%.

- Example 7 600 grams of wool are hydrolyzed as in Example 5, the acid hydrolysate is neutralized with ammonia. To the hydrolysate filtered from insoluble portions are then added 62 grams of sodium sulphite and after reaction for 2 days the reduced hydrolysate then caused to'react as in Example 1 with an aqueous solution of gold chloride (hydrochloride). The acid hydrolysate thus reacted with the gold compound isthereupon rendered weakly alkaline with calcium hydroxide and the liquid filtered. The filtrate is stirred into 8 times the volume of methyl alcohol whereby the calcium salt of the-gold sulphhydryl keratinic acid is precipitated in ilocculent solid form. Aiter separation from the methyl alcohol thecalcium salt is washed with-alcohol and ether and-thereupon dried inNacuum, at 65 C. 156 grains of calcium gold sulphhydryl keratinate are obtained as a white easily water-soluble powder with a gold content of 13.9%. Y

0! course, many changes and variations in the reaction conditions and the like 'may be employed by those skilled inthe art in accordance with the principles set forth herein and in the claims annexed hereto.

What we claim-is:

1. Process for the manufacture oi. complex water-soluble gold compounds of albumose-like keratin degradation product-obtained by the acid hydrolysis'of keratin substances are submitted to a subsequent reduction. 1

4. Process as claimed in claim 1, in which the reduction of the keratin degradation products obtained by the acid hydrolysis takes place with compounds belonging to the group of sulphurous acid and its neutral and acid alkali and alkaline earth metal salts.

5. Process as claimed in claim 1, in which the.

reaction with gold compounds is carried out by introducing such a quantity of gold that a complete saturation of thesulphhydryl group with gold is eflected.

6. Process as claimed in claim 1 in which the hydrolysate is caused to react with a larger quantity of the gold compound than is just necessary for combination with sulphhydryl groups present. 7. Process as claimed in claim 1, in which after the reaction with gold compounds the solution is rendered .weakly alkaline with an alkaline-reacting compound of a member of the group consisting of alkali and alkaline earth metals, and the complex gold compounds of. the keratin degradation productsthus obtained isolated.

8. Processas claimed in claim 1, in which the separation of the complex gold sulphhydryl'keratinate compound takes place by mixing the'liquid with several times the volume of an organic solvent miscible with water and the complex gold compound purified by dissolving onceor several times in water and reprecipitating with theorganic solvent.

I 9. Processes set forth in claim 1, in which the reduction or the keratin degradation products a heavy metal of 9 takes place in the presence or the group consisting of iron, tin, and. zinc.

'anomr m1- scams-Kori. 

